Himachal to launch action plan to combat climate change

Realizing the threat and consequences being posed by the changing climate in the Western Himalayan region , Himachal Pradesh government has pioneered several initiatives to combat it . The government has also brought together various Himalayan states and agreed upon twelve major actions which were called as the Shimla declaration.

“The state has also established the state council of climate change headed by the chief secretary of the state and state centre on climate change,” Chief secretary , Sudripto Roy after inaugurating two day brain storming workshop on ‘Snow & Glaciers and the Himalayan River Systems’ organised by ‘State-Centre on Climate Change’ of State Council for Science Technology and Environment said.

Mr Roy called upon all the institutions and government functionaries to initiate planning and research to control pollution and reduce pressure on natural resources. He said that Himachal’s economy is based on horticulture ,agriculture and forests which is likely to be adversely effected by the changing climate .

“Global warming is responsible for contraction of glaciers and has posed a major challenge to our environment .Mountain ecosystem is highly vulnerable and sensitive to the climatic variations,” Roy said.

The chief secretary said that the state has initiated steps to understand climae change and the sate will soon launch its action plan to combat the changes.